Goodbye
by Kitsanken
Summary: He said he wanted to see her. She said he only returned when he broke things. He said he was sorry and then he said Goodbye. Implied Ed X Winry WARNING: Character Death


**Full Metal Alchemist Fanfiction**

_Full Metal Alchemist © HIROMU ARAKAWA/SQUARE ENIX, MBS, ANX, BONES, Dentsu, CARTOON NETWORK (A Time Warner Company), ADULT SWIM, FUNimation Productions, Ltd._

_All Fanfics created by Chiruken (me) were written for the sole purpose of shared entertainment and not intended for publication or sale._

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**--Goodbye-- **

**By: Chiruken**

Winry Rockbell sighed and reached up to pull the kerchief from her head to stuff in her back pocket, shaking her head lightly as her long blonde hair was freed from its confines. Bending over the lamp, she reached for the light switch, casting the room into semi-darkness, the only illumination coming from the brightness of the full moon shining in through the windows. Turning for the stairs, she paused and glanced out the window towards the tree in the front yard. Eyes widening, she peered closer. "Ed?" She breathed softly as she focused on the figure standing beneath the branches of the tall tree. Shaking her head, she turned her steps to the front door and slowly exited, a welcoming, if exasperated, smile curving her lips upwards. "Edward!" She called as she hurried across the lawn.

Slowly, the figure turned to her, his features shrouded in the shadows cast by the leaves swaying gently in the night breeze. Winry halted before him and planted her fist on her hip and regarded him sternly though the warmth reflected in her blue eyes belied the severe expression she was wearing. "Winry…" He greeted her softly, the wind catching his voice and causing it to echo oddly.

Looking around, Winry frowned when she saw that he was alone. "Where's Al?" She asked curiously before bringing her gaze back to him and raising an eyebrow in inquiry.

"I came alone this time." He answered simply with a half smile playing about his lips.

"Alone?" She repeated, a faint blush stealing its way into her cheeks before she shook her head with a soft laugh. "So…what did you break this time?" She returned to her stern expression, pointing her favourite wrench in his direction.

"Break?" He murmured softly, a strange expression crossing his features before he looked away.

She rolled her eyes with a faint indignant huff. "Of course. You only come home when you break something. So, what is it this time? Your leg? Your arm?" Her eyes narrowed as she shook the wrench at him. "It better not be your arm. I worked hard on that design and if you mucked it up you're going to be sorry, Edward Elric."

He smiled again, an oddly sad curving of his lips. "No, Winry…I didn't break my arm." He held up his right hand when she opened her mouth to speak again. "And I didn't break my leg, either." He hastened to assure her.

"You didn't?" She slowly lowered her arm, returning her wrench to her back pocket as she regarded him with curious confusion. "Then…what are you doing here?"

"I wanted to see you." He stated simply as he shoved his hands into his pockets and turned slightly to regard the house behind her. "I wanted to visit…" He paused as if searching carefully for the words he wished to use. Finally he shrugged and tilted his head to the side to regard her with an enigmatic expression gracing his features. "Home." He finally finished on a sigh.

Blinking in surprise, Winry looked over her shoulder at the house briefly before returning her attention to the man standing before her. "Oh. Um…did you want to come inside?"

He shook his head slowly. "No…" Again, that fleeting look of sadness flitted across his features. "No, thank you. I won't be here long enough."

"Oh." She clasped her hands behind her back and stared down at the ground, scuffing the toes of her boots into the soil. "I see." She looked up again and forced a smile. "You're on your way back to Central, then?"

He only smiled by way of answering and tilted his face up to the sky. "It's so peaceful here, isn't it?" He sighed softly and slowly closed his eyes. "I'd almost forgotten how beautiful it was here."

She rolled her eyes. "That's because you're never here long enough to appreciate it." She squinted her eyes shut and brushed her hair out of her eyes as the wind picked up a little, ruffling through the long strands. An uncomfortable silence built up between them, broken only by the sighing of the leaves and the occasion chirrup of crickets. Clearing her through nervously, she sought for something to say to break the silence that had descended upon them. "Um…so Al's okay?" She asked awkwardly, stealing a quick look at him and seeing the same odd sad expression in his eyes that she'd glimpsed before as he nodded slowly. "Ed?" She took a hesitant step towards him and stopped when he moved back. "Is something wrong?"

"Winry…I…" He paused and looked away briefly before slowly turning to face her fully. "I wanted to say I'm sorry. That's why I came here."

Frowning, she bit her lip anxiously. His strange behaviour was starting to make her nervous. "Sorry? For what? I don't understand."

A sad smile curved his lips upwards. "You were right, you know."

Shaking her head slightly, her frown deepening, she stepped closer again, and once again he stepped back, away from her. "Right about what?"

"About my breaking things before I come home."

She brushed her hair out of her face again in annoyance as the wind caught at it, and then froze. She blinked in surprise, and then rubbed at her eyes, certain that it had only been a trick of the lighting that made it appear as if the wind hadn't touched Ed's hair at all. "But you just said you didn't break…" She began, and then trailed off as the odd lighting played tricks with her eyes again. For a moment she could have sworn she could see the hills behind him _through_ him…a physical impossibility, of course, she reminded herself before shrugging the oddity away.

"I'm sorry, Winry…I…" He paused and seemed to hesitate for a moment before taking a slow step towards her. "I broke my promise to you, and I'm sorry."

"Promise?" She whispered, feeling a shiver of fear inexplicably course up her spine, making the fine hairs on her arms stand on end.

He looked up at the sky, the stars seeming to reflect in his expressive eyes for a moment before he returned his gaze to her again. "I have to go."

"Go? But…you just got here…" She protested weakly, caught once again by the sensation that something wasn't quite right about the situation.

"I'm sorry." He smiled again and stepped closer to her. "There's something I need you to do, Winry…"

For some strange reason she felt tears begin to sting her eyes. _I'm just being silly…there's nothing wrong…this is just Ed being Ed. _ Drawing in a shallow breath she nodded. "Anything, Ed…you know that."

"Please take care of Al for me."

"Al?" She repeated in a barely audible whisper before slowly nodding. "Of course I will, you didn't have to ask." She smiled, feeling the sting of unshed tears increase.

"Thank you, Winry…for everything." He took another step forward, closing the distance completely. Lifting his hand he brushed his fingers against her cheek in a feather light touch. Bending down, he placed a gentle kiss on her lips, a mere ghost of a touch before straightening again. "Goodbye." He smiled and turned, walking away into the night.

Swallowing against the lump that had formed in her throat, Winry raised her hand and pressed her fingers against her tingling lips. "Goodbye, Edward." She whispered as clouds skittered across the moon, casting the landscape into darkness before the wind pushed them along, leaving no trace of Edward Elric in their wake. Reaching up, she slowly wiped the tears from her cheeks before turning back to the house.

**† ∞ †**

Winry pushed her damp hair out of her eyes and leaned back with a sigh, dropping the heavy hammer to the workbench with a clatter. "Whew…thank goodness that's finished." She turned to the door with a grin. "Now, for a break." Leaving the workshop with a bouncing step, she paused outside to let her eyes adjust to the brightness of the sunshine. Hearing her dog whining, she turned to him with a smile. "What's the matter, Den?" She bent down and scratched behind his ears. "You've been acting strangely all day." Shaking her head, she stood again and looked towards the tall tree, her smile dimming as she remembered the events of the night before and Ed's odd visit. Shrugging she turned towards the porch and placed her foot on the first step when she heard something from the road. "Huh?" Turning, she squinted against the sunlight and saw two figures steadily approaching. Blinking in surprise, she wiped her hands against her coveralls and hurried to the gate with a wide welcoming smile. "Al!" She waved enthusiastically as she hurried to close the distance. Her smile faded when she saw his grim expression. "Al?" She whispered softly, heart racing in sudden fear as she looked from him to the tall, silent man at his side, Brigadier General Roy Mustang, the Flame Alchemist. Shifting her gaze back to her childhood friend she frowned. "What's going on?" Folding her arms across her chest she tapped her foot impatiently as they exchanged a quick glance between them and remained silent.

"Um…Winry…" Alphonse Elric shifted uncomfortably and avoided meeting her gaze directly. "I-it's about…" He swallowed and drew in a shuddering breath. "It's about Brother." He finished on a pained whisper.

"Well…if you're looking for him, Ed isn't here." She tried to ignore the way the pit of her stomach seemed to drop out on her when Alphonse's features took on a pained expression.

Mustang cleared his throat, drawing her attention. "Miss Rockbell…" He began quietly, not meeting her gaze either. "If we may step inside?"

Nodding slowly, she led them into the house and sat on the edge of a chair as they seated themselves on the sofa. "All right…what's going on?" She'd intended for the question to be stern and no-nonsense, but what came out sounded shaky and frightened instead. She closed her hands into fists on her thighs and looked up as her grandmother, Pinako, entered the room carrying a tray with tea and cookies.

"Winry…" Al looked at her, tears filling his eyes. "B-brother…" His voice trailed off as the tears spilled over and he drew in a shuddering breath, bowing his head and raising his hands to cover his face as his shoulders shook.

She watched with wide eyes as the Flame Alchemist placed his hand on Al's shoulder and squeezed comfortingly before turning to face her, eyes dark with sorrow. "There was an…accident, Miss Rockbell."

She felt the blood drain from her face and hastily set the cup she'd just picked up back down again as her hands began to shake. "An accident?" She repeated in a hoarse whisper. "I-is he all right?" She knew, though…from their expressions, she knew that Ed wasn't all right and she felt her chest constrict painfully.

"I'm sorry." Mustang murmured softly, looking away from her.

"This can't be." She whispered, shaking her head sharply in denial. "This can't be!" She stood abruptly, pushing the chair back a few inches with the force of her movement. "He was just here!" She raised her hands and covered her face as hot tears spilled down her cheeks. "He was just here…"

Al drew in another shuddering breath and stood, wrapping his arms around her, gently rocking her as he both gave and took comfort in the embrace. "Shh…Winry…" He bowed his head, resting his cheek against the top of her head. "I know it's hard…but…B-brother wouldn't want…" He trailed off and held her tighter as her arms came around him and she buried her face against his chest.

"He was just here last night." She squeezed her eyes shut tight as she sobbed against his chest.

Alphonse went very still and slowly pulled away from her. Placing his hands on her shoulders he peered down at her. "Last night?" He repeated, voice oddly strained, and paled when she nodded. "Winry…that isn't possible." When she merely looked at him, tears catching on her eyelashes and falling as she blinked his frown deepened. "Winry…Brother died four nights ago."

**† ∞ †**

**_End_**

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